Us consumer confidence index

US consumers were slightly more confident in July but there are signs the economy is not expected to continue to expand at the same pace, according to a survey released Tuesday. Feelings about the current state of the economy and the jobs market remain strong but slightly more people see conditions worsening in the months ahead, according to the Conference Board survey. The cutoff date for the survey was July 29, so it captured sentiment in the first month of the trade confrontation with China as steep US tariffs on hundreds of Chinese goods were announced and Beijing retaliated against American products. However, consumer confidence has not seemed to react to the trade tensions. "Consumer confidence gained marginal ground in July, after a modest decline in June," said Lynn Franco, the Conference Board's director of economic indicators. "However, while expectations continue to reflect optimism in the short-term economic outlook, back-to-back declines suggest consumers do not foresee … [Read more...] about US consumer confidence up slightly in July

In the days leading up to the largest expulsion of Russian spies in US history, few people inside or outside Donald Trump’s administration knew exactly what the president would do. US intelligence officials, who had been pushing to dismantle Moscow’s spy networks, believed that the president might decide against a recommendation to close the Russian Consulate in Seattle. In conversations with European leaders, Mr Trump said the United States was not interested in expelling spies in response to the poisoning of a Russian spy if other countries were not doing the same. Read more Russia to expel 150 diplomats and close consulate in St Petersburg UK divulged ‘unprecedented levels of intelligence’ on nerve agent Putin blames shopping centre fire on ‘criminal negligence’ New Zealand says it would expel Russia spies, but can’t find any Trump aides encouraged Papadopoulos to build ‘partnership with Russia’ But, the … [Read more...] about How Donald Trump finally agreed to the biggest purge of Russian spies in US history

The state department wants to require all US visa applicants to submit their social media usernames, previous email addresses and phone numbers, vastly expanding the Trump administration’s enhanced vetting of potential immigrants and visitors. In documents to be published in Friday’s Federal Register, the department said it wants the public to comment on the proposed new requirements, which will affect nearly 15 million foreigners who apply for visas to enter the US each year. Previously, social media, email and phone number histories were only sought from applicants identified for extra scrutiny, such as those who have travelled to areas controlled by terrorist organisations. Read more UK to review visas for wealthy foreign nationals, says May ‘Civilised’ Australia could offer white South African farmers visas Former Tory health secretary calls on Theresa May to scrap visa cap Trump ends programme allowing Haitians to enter US on worker visas US Navy … [Read more...] about Anyone applying for a US visa will have to hand over email addresses, social media usernames and phone numbers under new Trump rules

Donald Trump has declared that the US will withdraw from Syria “very soon”, saying that it’s time to “let other people take care” of the situation there. “We’re knocking the hell out of Isis. We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon,” the President said while speaking in Ohio. “Let the other people take care of it now.” The president added: “We’re going to have 100 per cent of the caliphate…we’re taking it all back.” Read more Turkey 'to launch wider offensive against Kurds' after taking Afrin Last year, Kurdish militias captured the Syrian city of Raqqa, Isis’s de-facto capital, with the help of US forces. But even as Isis has lost significant strongholds such as Raqqa, experts warn that the terrorist group remains a lethal force. Also during his speech, Mr Trump suggested delaying the implementation of a revised trade deal with South Korea until after an … [Read more...] about Donald Trump says US will withdraw from Syria ‘very soon’ as it is time to ‘let other people take care of it now’

A US court has rejected Saudi Arabia’s request to throw out lawsuits claiming the Middle Eastern nation helped plan the 9/11 terror attacks. District judge George Daniels said there was “a reasonable basis” to allow legal action seeking billions of dollars in damages for victims. The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people when hijacked aeroplanes crashed into New York’s World Trade Centre, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field. Read more Saudi Arabia asks US federal judge to drop lawsuit over 9/11 attacks Lawyers representing the families of those killed and about 25,000 people who were injured, as well as businesses and insurers affected, filed 25 lawsuits against the Saudis in New York last year. Saudi Arabia argued the plaintiffs in the legal action could not show the kingdom or any affiliated charities were behind the attacks. It also claimed it deserved sovereign immunity and … [Read more...] about US court allows 9/11 victims’ lawsuits claiming Saudi Arabia helped plan terror attack